See Tracks, Think Train

I am looking
where 2 minutes ago I was flashed
by a stupid mint green honda civic. my lights
were on. I checked.

I am looking
for a bump, a dent, a crack
in the road but I know that they repaved it
last summer. I remember.

A mile up ahead there’s a railroad crossing.
Wednesdays at 4:45 freight train holds up a perpendicular line of cars in either direction for about 10 minutes, but during summer roadwork it’s anyone’s guess. I guess it’s not that long- I remember my dad ranting about being trapped behind chains of cars for 20, 30 minutes. Now the boxes are pale blue blazoned “amazon prime” - the only cars without spray paint - I hum “penny a point ain’t no one keepin’ score” before I think “ah fuck, that song’s probably racist” and I feel the pour of a cement mixer hard on my back for 40 minutes.

I remember they paved it. I know the road is flat.

When I was twelve my dad once flashed his brights at an ongoing car. I asked. he said he was warning of a cop ahead- he was trying to be nice. I thought-
How’s that guy supposed to know that?
What about a bright light could be nice?